A close-packed array of light emitting diodes includes a nonconductive substrate having a plurality of elongate channels extending therethrough from a first side to a second side, where each of the elongate channels in at least a portion of the substrate includes a conductive rod therein. The conductive rods have a density over the substrate of at least about 1,000 rods per square centimeter and include first conductive rods and second conductive rods. The close-packed array further includes a plurality of light emitting diodes on the first side of the substrate, where each light emitting diode is in physical contact with at least one first conductive rod and in electrical contact with at least one second conductive rod.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A close-packed array of light emitting devices, the close-packed array comprising: a nonconductive substrate having a plurality of elongate channels extending therethrough from a first side to a second side, wherein each of the elongate channels in at least a portion of the substrate includes a conductive rod therein, the conductive rods comprising first conductive rods and second conductive rods; and a plurality of light emitting diodes on the first side of the substrate, each light emitting diode being in physical contact with at least one of the first conductive rods and in electrical contact with at least one of the second conductive rods, wherein the conductive rods have a density over the substrate of at least about 1,000 rods per square centimeter.
2. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of light emitting diodes to conductive rods is between 1:2 and 1:20.
3. The close-packed array of claim 2 , wherein the ratio is between 1:3 and 1:8.
4. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein each of the elongate channels over an entirety of the substrate includes one of the conductive rods therein.
5. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein each of the elongate channels in a second portion of the substrate does not include one of the conductive rods therein, the elongate channels in the second portion being configured for convective flow therethrough.
6. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein the density of the conductive rods over the substrate is at least about 2,500 rods per square centimeter.
7. The close-packed array of claim 6 , wherein the density of the conductive rods over the substrate is at least about 5,000 rods per square centimeter.
8. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein at least one wire extends from the light emitting diode to at least one of the second conductive rods to provide the electrical contact.
9. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein the conductive rods further comprise at least one third conductive rod in an elongate channel, the third conductive rod not being in electrical or physical contact with any of the light emitting diodes.
10. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein each of the conductive rods comprises a width of between about 1 micron and 100 microns.
11. The close-packed array of claim 10 , wherein the width is less than a spacing between adjacent conductive rods.
12. The close-packed array of claim 11 , wherein the spacing is between about 50 microns and 500 microns.
13. The close packed array of claim 1 , wherein the rods are cylindrical.
14. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein the light emitting diodes are not in contact with the substrate.
15. The close-packed array of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of conical openings in the first side of the substrate contiguous with the channels, each conical opening enlarging a width of an end of one of the channels.
16. The close-packed array of claim 15 , wherein the conical opening includes a reflective coating deposited thereon.
17. The close-packed array of claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink on the second side of the substrate in thermal contact with the conductive rods.
18. The close-packed array of claim 17 , wherein the heat sink is spaced apart from the substrate, the conductive rods being configured for exposure to a convective flow between the second side of the substrate and the heat sink.
19. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein the conductive rods are configured for exposure to a convective flow between the first side of the substrate and the plurality of light emitting diodes.
20. The close-packed array of claim 1 , further comprising a phosphor glass disposed in opposition to the first side of the substrate.
21. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein the nonconductive substrate comprises glass.
22. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein the conductive rods comprise a thermally and electrically conductive material.
23. The close-packed array of claim 22 , wherein the thermally and electrically conductive material comprises a refractory metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum and tungsten.
24. The close-packed array of claim 22 , wherein the second conductive rods comprise the thermally and electrically conductive material, and the first conductive rods comprise a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material.
25. The close-packed array of claim 24 , wherein the thermally conductive and electrically insulating material comprises a ceramic selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride and aluminum oxide.
26. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels are arranged in an ordered array.
27. The close-packed array of claim 1 , wherein each of the conductive rods comprises a width of between about 1 micron and 100 microns, the width being less than a spacing between adjacent conductive rods, and the density of the conductive rods over the substrate being at least about 2,500 rods per square centimeter, wherein a ratio of light emitting diodes to conductive rods is between 1:2 and 1:20, and wherein the light emitting diodes are not in contact with the substrate, further comprising a plurality of conical openings in the first side of the substrate contiguous with the elongate channels, each conical opening enlarging a width of an end of one of the channels and including a reflective coating deposited thereon, further comprising a heat sink on the second side of the substrate in thermal contact with the conductive rods, wherein the nonconductive substrate comprises glass, the conductive rods comprise a refractory metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum and tungsten, and the plurality of channels are arranged in an ordered array.
28. The close-packed array of claim 27 , wherein the heat sink is spaced apart from the substrate, the conductive rods being configured for exposure to a convective flow between the second side of the substrate and the heat sink, wherein the conductive rods are configured for exposure to a convective flow between the first side of the substrate and the plurality of light emitting diodes, and wherein each of the elongate channels in a second portion of the substrate does not include one of the conductive rods therein, the elongate channels in the second portion being configured for convective flow therethrough.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 22, 2010
April 9, 2013
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